Dentist owes patient big bucks

HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY (WABC) -- This was one trip to the dentist that proved painful for one New Jersey woman. She says her mouth was fine, it was her wallet that ached, until Seven On Your Side got on the case.

"I really don't like (him) all," that's how Marjorie Liang describes her former dentist to 7 On Your Side's Tappy Phillips.

Last spring, Marjorie's former dentist, Dr. Thomas Glatt, told her she needed a double root canal and possible mouth surgery. "I paid him for everything. up front," says Marjorie.

She paid him thousands. But Marjorie wound up going to a different dentist for a second opinion. "She said don't get the surgery, you don't want that unless it is absolutely necessary. So I followed her advice."

Finally, in November, Dr. Glatt sent Marjorie a letter apologizing saying he intended to refund the balance. "That was in November when he sent you this, but he still didn't send checks / Nothing. He still didn't send anything."

So we went to Glatt's office, he wasn't there. So we followed up with a phone call. "It took one phone call and I got an answer," said Marjorie. "I couldn't believe that. It was incredible."

Marjorie got partial payment, more than twenty eight hundred bucks. But what about the balance? We went with Marjorie to the dentist's lawyer, and just hours later she got another check, more than thirty six hundred in all. "(The doctor's office) hand delivered it," said a stunned Marjorie. "Thank you."

Dr. Glatt's lawyer said Marjorie would've been refunded last November, but she never signed a refund release at Glatt's office. Marjorie says the dentist's assistant never asked her to sign anything and frequently didn't return her calls.

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Story by: Tappy Phillips

Produced by: Steve Livingstone

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